Stage: Who wants to live forever

Foreverland
by Emma Hemingford
dir Frederick Wienand
with Emma McDonald, Christopher York, Valerie Antwi, Una Byrne, Emily Butler
sets & costumes Peiyao Wang
lighting Lily Woodford • sound Jamie Lu
Southwark Playhouse Borough, London • 2-19.Oct.24 ★★★★

Set in the near future, Emma Hemingford's new play cleverly uses emerging science to explore the effect of extended longevity on various relationships. The approach is thoughtful and sometimes very pointed, but is nicely grounded in earthy humour, nuanced performances and inventively simple staging. It also never gets bogged down in its central biotechnology, which helps make sure that the audience is looking at the deeper ideas and feelings these people are struggling to understand, let alone express.

It opens in 2035, as Alice and Jay (McDonald and York) are in consultation with Dr Lane (Antwi) on the day of their "fixing", a surgical procedure that will rejuvenate every cell in their body and stop them from ageing. Wealthy due to Jay's tech job, they can afford this hugely expensive treatment, but Alice worries that her father can't. Then as they begin their now-extended life, time ceases to have much meaning for them, allowing them to leave much about their day-to-day experiences unresolved, including the decision to have a child, as well as then parenting their daughter Annie (Butler), who grows to be in her mid-30s (now Byrne) like them and must decide for herself if she's ready for fixing.

The actors are excellent at creating real people we can identify with as their situation shifts in unexpected ways. In the smaller studio theatre, a raised stage effectively keeps the actors at eye level, with minimal props to signify settings and situations. And some sequences inventively deploy cinematic styles of editing and focus, while the script remembers to include offhanded but telling details. The actors create a terrific sense of connection, with dialog that never feels cliched, from playful banter between Alice and Jay to their ongoing conversations with Dr Lane and the parents' ever-shifting relationship with their daughter. Some of the elements feel a bit pushy and undercooked, such as Jay's alcohol addiction. But the more subtle interaction carries a strong kick, such as young Annie's simple inability to accept the idea of death.

There's an eerie resonance here, as this kind of DNA restoration is already being studied. So the premise feels thoroughly believable. And Hemingford's script never simplifies the themes or issues, touching on a range of provocative questions, including the way this pricey treatment intensifies the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Even more intriguing is how immortality so profoundly changes a person's sense of motivation in every aspect of life. And bigger questions about what creates day-to-day meaning are sharply examined in the dialog. Does having more time bring happiness? Would losing the pressure of mortality stop ambition on a global scale? While the drama gets a bit heightened here and there, these loudly gurgling ideas hold the interest, leaving us with plenty to think about.

For details, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE > 

photos by Charlie Lyne • 4.Oct.24